Age: 55 Gender: Male Occupation: German businessman Social Class: Middle Class Financial situation: Fairly okay, He earns money through businesses among people. Appearance: John Rabe wear glasses and generally well dressed in a suit. He is relatively tall with bald hair, generous smile on his face. Location (map): Nanking Habitual locations: The Nanking Safety Zone. Daily routine: 6:00- Wakes Up 7:00- Break Fast 7:30- Arrives at The Safety Zone 7:30-12:00- International Committee meeting 12:30-1:00-Lunch 1:00-5:30- Checking with each faculties in the Safety Zone to make sure, everything is under control. 5:30-6:30- Dinner 6:30-7:30- Read books 7:30-9:00- Summarize what he had done in that day 10:00- Sleep Personality/Quirks/Unique Personality Traits: He is very generous and highly value every individual rights, and he can not stand and injustice and unjustified actions. Past/individual-family history: His family had been doing business together as a family in the Germany. Family: His families live in Germany and he is not married Social relations with your own and other classes (people you deal with or know about in other classes, AND your opinions and feelings about them): He feels sympathy toward chinese's by how they were treated by Japanese soldiers, and very furious about Japanese's unjustified act. Religion: Christian Education: In order to do active business, he learned to speak many languages thus he is Germans, Japanese, Chinese, and English fluently. Portrait:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1b/JohnRabe.jpg
Diary #1: Calm Before The Storm
November 15, 1937
The War between Japan and China had been kept going for few month; It is so strenuous to watch people suffer everyday over and over again. Not only Chinese residents are going through hardship but also many westerners,living in the city, who were supposed to conduct trade or on missionary trips, are going through same conditions. I came to China to take a job offer from the Siemens Ag China Corporation in Shenkyang in hope of earning wealth, and gaining business experience; however, my trip was never meant to see awful events, dreadful effects from the War. As the Japanese army approached Nanking, they initiated bombing raids in the city. I saw tragic moments: students getting beat up, women getting raped, children getting mocked, men getting slaughtered. The China, so called the "ruler of Asia", was now left with destruction, depression, and devastation. (Would these things be happening at this time? Consider the date.)
Embarrassed for the fact that all I can do is watch Chinese residents be treated with force and pain, I sincerely want to start doing little things and some how bring changes and hope of lights back to the people of China. Obviously, some foreigners, in fear of losing their lives, gave up on their jobs and missionaries decided to flee, but I could not just escape knowing the fact that Chinese resident’s are dying and suffering every single seconds. I had already seen such devastating actions for such a long time, that there is no other way to get rid of that memory except by actually stopping these actions. Now it’s no longer time for me to just sit, wait and wish that Japanese soldiers will stop their movements, I need to stop wasting time, and put into actual actions.
Luckily, I was not the only one who stayed in China. Today I saw a guy who was eagerly preaching to people and giving hopes to Chinese with the power of Jesus; I could sense his burning passions and sympathy for the people in his eyes. When I asked his name, his name was Ernest Foster. Just like me, he was willing to work for rights of the citizens and valued every single individual rights. Not only he had stirrings of ardor but also introduced other missionaries and Americans who acknowledged tragic and unjustified actions and decided to stay in China.
When we got all together, there were 12 foreigners including me. Number twelve seem relatively small but it was not matter of amount, it was matter of how much fervor we have for saving Chinese; thus if we work together, we will be able to achieve a thing far more greater! Rights of Chinese are on stake, and our small group is the one who is going to take the burden of protecting and restoring the lost will and dignity of Chinese.
The Westerners who decided to remain in China did not know neither what to do nor even how to start in the beginning. However through our eagerness and cooperation, we were able to figure out and come up with the grand solution: we began to work on innovative building project called “Nanki
ng Safety Zone” which was demilitarized zone for protection of Chinese civilians from devastating actions by Japanese. We were able to come up with this idea by getting inspirations from Jesuit Father Robert Jacquinoto de Besange in Shanghai. Just like what he did, We, the Westerners wanted to embrace the innocent Chinese civilians from the harms by setting up the safety zone.
Nanking Safety Zone
Today, Ernest Forster , not only determined Westerner who remained to fight for rights of Chinese, but also my beloved friend, was the one who came to me and offered me to see how the process of construction of Safety zone was going. I gladly accepted with joy and anxiety, hoping that everything was going under control. When I got to the Safety Zone, thankfully, God did not turn back on us, and it was starting to have a complete vivid shape. The Nanking Safety zone consisted 25 refugee camps around the U.S Embassy, was bordered by roads on all four sides for clear differentiation between the War zone and the Safety zone and occupied an area of approximately 3.86 square kilometers. Despite the fact that only remaining few Westerners gathered together to put the project together, the project turned out very successfully. While, I was sincerely thankful for the blessings and supports given by the God, the tragedy and the irony once again backfired.
The tragedy was that we would not be able to maintain our service system until the end of the War. Since we were lured by the fact that the construction was highly successful, we did not realize the reality which is that we do not have enough money to maintain all the supplies, foods and shelters for Chinese Civilians. In the beginning, our main objective was to save as many civilians as possible thus creating the Safety Zone large as possible, and now it is possible that hundreds of Chinese and even thousands of Chinese are able to live in the Safety Zone. It is absolutely splendid that we are able to provide shelters for most of the civilians, but it can be seen as impracticable for few Westerners to provide proper medical cares, foods and treatments for all the people in the Safety zone. We could not think of any possible methods which can make minority supporting the majority possible without money. Not only there were economic problems but also in order for the Japanese army to recognize its existence, the city including the Safety Zone, must not contain any Chinese military forces. Beyond that we are in the urgent situation for money and the organization or committee to stabilize the Safety Zone, we also need to convince and persuade the Chinese government to move all their troops out of the area, and recognize it as the official safety zone. Even if we started great and potential, now it’s time for us to step on the thorny path of life.
It had been tough time for the remaining Westerners but we had no choice but to go over each obstacles one by one and we decided that the organizing committee was the most urgent priority. Once again, all the remaining Westerners were called into a group meeting for discussion about the committee which will reinstate the Nanking Safety Zone. Without doubt, everyone agreed on forming a committee and “ The International Committee For the Nanking Safety Zone” was finally formed. Even if there is a group which will lead the Nanking Safety Zone, there should be a leader who is going to lead the committee.
When, I asked “ Is there any volunteer who is willing to be the leader?”, there was an absolute silence among people. Then, Sir. John Magee was the one who broke the silence by standing up. I was glad such a responsible man is willing to take a burden of being a leader but surprisingly, he said “ I would like to recommend Sir. John Rabe as a leader!”. After hearing what he said, I was speechless because I would not be able to sustain responsibility, leadership, intelligence, and absolute burden as the leader. When I was try to say no, it was pointless because people started to raise their hands and said how they agree. Then, Sir. John Magee said “ I guess you are the leader by following the opinions of majorities.”. I was shocked and almost even fell into trance like state. It takes more than leadership to be a good leader; however, just like I decided to stay in the War Zone, I gladly accepted and promised my committee members how I will try my best to bring will and hope to Chinese civilians.
Nanking Safety Zone International Committee
Now that the committee is organized, it was time for put our plans into actions. We were going through the War zone to look for injured people, young children, women, and old people ( They were our urgent priority and we are not economically ready to give treatments to all the civilians.) While we were giving treatments, food, and relaxations which people can never have during the war, the letter came from the mayor of Nanking which stated that the City of Nanking affirmed the existence of the Safety Zone, and officially going to send cash, food, and staffed security personnel in the zone! Not only that we were able to persuade the Chinese government to move all their troops out of the area! Once again, God is smiling upon us, and also this is a sign from the God to actively help civilians more and get one step closer to finding wills and hopes which were lost.
The Nanking Safety Zone was running smoothly and day by day and, I was able to save more and more Chinese civilians. Not only more people were getting rescued but people in the Nanking Safety Zone was getting back their smiles. For example, when Yao ming-little Chinese girl who lost her parents and was brutally beat up by Japanese Soldiers- was sent to the Safety Zone. She could not trust anyone or even dare to make any eye contacts. However, as time passes, and Westerners had treated with sincere concern and love, she was able to get a smile back. It was just inevitable for me to hold on to my tears, thinking the fact that these beautiful children smiles are just taken away by the War; I sincerely thanked the God for returning a smile to pure innocent child and promised myself to work harder to bring back more delight grins.
Then I saw Wilhelmina Vautrin sprinting towards my way with tear all over her face. When I asked her what happened, she was speechless for few seconds and said Japanese soldiers came into the Safety Zone and was just brutally killing every people even if they are children or woman. I could not believe what she told me, and thought how in the world is it possible for Japanese Soldiers to just commit atrocities in the Safety Zone because Japan had recognized the Safety Zone and promised not to attack! Without asking her any more questions, I ran to the place where Japanese Soldiers came in.
The sight that was in front of me could not be believed by my eyes, hundreds body of men and women were just piled up on the ground. Not only I could not believe annihilation was once again caused by Japanese but also I was dumbfounded by the fact that Japanese soldiers were laughing and making jokes about how Chinese people were begging for their lives to be spared before they were killed. I just couldn’t control my emotion, and my anger and fury blasted for the Japanese Soldiers. I shouted ,“Are you calling yourself a human? What kind of human being will kill others and be entertained by killing? You piece of trash!!!!”, then I grabbed the sharp stone on the ground and charged to one of the Japanese soldiers. When I was about to smash his head, one of the soldiers shot me in the leg and I automatically lost balance and fall on the ground. Lying on the ground, I was crying bitterly and was furious about my effeteness and inability to fight back or do a revenge for lose of innocence lives; then, I, tears falling down on my chicks, asked why did you kill people in the Safety Zone? The Soldiers replied that they saw few guerrilla soldiers in the Safety Zone and they were viewed as threats and said it was my fault to allow anyone wearing uniform to enter. Thus they said the Japanese Government now views the Safety Zone as the threat, and going to force all refugees to return home. Then Japanese Soldiers left while I was still lying aside the pile of bodies. I felt like a dead man who lost the purpose of living; I felt so ashamed that I, the leader of the committee, could not even protect his own people. Even though my body could still move, my heart was stabbed and can not move anymore. Please can any one tell me what to do? Please just anyone... Please just... Please anyone....Please....
Diary #5:A Survivor
December 24, 1957
Chinese people in the Safety Zone
Even if the War came to the end, the number of innocent civilians who were killed and the vivid images of annihilations stay on forever. Whenever I see scars on my leg (from Diary #4), the experience of going through watching massive unjustified killings and pile of bodies. The war was quarrelsome itself; there were no absolutely safe places to live. Even though, the Safety Zone was recognized as the non target of Japanese Government, still numerous number of casualties followed: while the Japanese Government was dropping bombs on the Nanking, sometimes mis coordinations lead to dropping of bombs on the Safety Zone. Even with Japanese mistakes, their government did not express any sorrow or apologetic attitude toward us and had absolutely no concern about the Safety Zone. Thus, I had realized that one day, no matter what, Japanese Government would force us to close down the Safety, saying that our safety zone is a threat to Japan. Then, just like what I said, in Late January 1938, the Japanese army forcefully closed down the Safety Zone. However, Westerners did not stop and decided to keep fighting for brining hopes to Chinese and we decided to create new committee called “Nanking International Rescue Committee”. We ran our new safety zone with brand new committee but unfortunately, it only lasted about 3 months. Despite the fact that it did not last so long, in the end, we were able to save lives of around fifty thousands to twenty five thousands lives through our Safety Zone.
Through using the Nanking Safety Zone, we were able to save many people’s lives but we could not protect China’s dignity and pride from vanishing. The China or so called the central power of Asia went through the imperialism and unjustified actions caused by other Asian Nation. The Chinese civilians will not only remember the fact that their fellow mates were brutally killed but always will be infuriated by Japan’s actions. Thus, in my perspective, Japan now should have constant meetings with Chinese government for better relationships and prevent any potential of this kind of massacre in the future.
John RabeAge: 55
Gender: Male
Occupation: German businessman
Social Class: Middle Class
Financial situation: Fairly okay, He earns money through businesses among people.
Appearance: John Rabe wear glasses and generally well dressed in a suit. He is relatively tall with bald hair, generous smile on his face.
Location (map): Nanking
Habitual locations: The Nanking Safety Zone.
Daily routine:
6:00- Wakes Up
7:00- Break Fast
7:30- Arrives at The Safety Zone
7:30-12:00- International Committee meeting
12:30-1:00-Lunch
1:00-5:30- Checking with each faculties in the Safety Zone to make sure, everything is under control.
5:30-6:30- Dinner
6:30-7:30- Read books
7:30-9:00- Summarize what he had done in that day
10:00- Sleep
Personality/Quirks/Unique Personality Traits: He is very generous and highly value every individual rights, and he can not stand and injustice and unjustified actions.
Past/individual-family history: His family had been doing business together as a family in the Germany.
Family: His families live in Germany and he is not married
Social relations with your own and other classes (people you deal with or know about in other classes, AND your opinions and feelings about them): He feels sympathy toward chinese's by how they were treated by Japanese soldiers, and very furious about Japanese's unjustified act.
Religion: Christian
Education: In order to do active business, he learned to speak many languages thus he is Germans, Japanese, Chinese, and English fluently.
Portrait: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1b/JohnRabe.jpg
Diary #1: Calm Before The Storm
November 15, 1937
The War between Japan and China had been kept going for few month; It is so strenuous to watch people suffer everyday over and over again. Not only Chinese residents are going through hardship but also many westerners,living in the city, who were supposed to conduct trade or on missionary trips, are going through same conditions. I came to China to take a job offer from the Siemens Ag China Corporation in Shenkyang in hope of earning wealth, and gaining business experience; however, my trip was never meant to see awful events, dreadful effects from the War. As the Japanese army approached Nanking, they initiated bombing raids in the city. I saw tragic moments: students getting beat up, women getting raped, children getting mocked, men getting slaughtered. The China, so called the "ruler of Asia", was now left with destruction, depression, and devastation. (Would these things be happening at this time? Consider the date.)
Embarrassed for the fact that all I can do is watch Chinese residents be treated with force and pain, I sincerely want to start doing little things and some how bring changes and hope of lights back to the people of China. Obviously, some foreigners, in fear of losing their lives, gave up on their jobs and missionaries decided to flee, but I could not just escape knowing the fact that Chinese resident’s are dying and suffering every single seconds. I had already seen such devastating actions for such a long time, that there is no other way to get rid of that memory except by actually stopping these actions. Now it’s no longer time for me to just sit, wait and wish that Japanese soldiers will stop their movements, I need to stop wasting time, and put into actual actions.
Luckily, I was not the only one who stayed in China. Today I saw a guy who was eagerly preaching to people and giving hopes to Chinese with the power of Jesus; I could sense his burning passions and sympathy for the people in his eyes. When I asked his name, his name was Ernest Foster. Just like me, he was willing to work for rights of the citizens and valued every single individual rights. Not only he had stirrings of ardor but also introduced other missionaries and Americans who acknowledged tragic and unjustified actions and decided to stay in China.
When we got all together, there were 12 foreigners including me. Number twelve seem relatively small but it was not matter of amount, it was matter of how much fervor we have for saving Chinese; thus if we work together, we will be able to achieve a thing far more greater! Rights of Chinese are on stake, and our small group is the one who is going to take the burden of protecting and restoring the lost will and dignity of Chinese.
Pic:http://teacher.scholastic.com/pearl/timeline/navart/1937pix1.jpg
Diary #2: A Knock at the Gate
November 22, 1937
The Westerners who decided to remain in China did not know neither what to do nor even how to start in the beginning. However through our eagerness and cooperation, we were able to figure out and come up with the grand solution: we began to work on innovative building project called “Nanki
ng Safety Zone” which was demilitarized zone for protection of Chinese civilians from devastating actions by Japanese. We were able to come up with this idea by getting inspirations from Jesuit Father Robert Jacquinoto de Besange in Shanghai. Just like what he did, We, the Westerners wanted to embrace the innocent Chinese civilians from the harms by setting up the safety zone.
Today, Ernest Forster , not only determined Westerner who remained to fight for rights of Chinese, but also my beloved friend, was the one who came to me and offered me to see how the process of construction of Safety zone was going. I gladly accepted with joy and anxiety, hoping that everything was going under control. When I got to the Safety Zone, thankfully, God did not turn back on us, and it was starting to have a complete vivid shape. The Nanking Safety zone consisted 25 refugee camps around the U.S Embassy, was bordered by roads on all four sides for clear differentiation between the War zone and the Safety zone and occupied an area of approximately 3.86 square kilometers. Despite the fact that only remaining few Westerners gathered together to put the project together, the project turned out very successfully. While, I was sincerely thankful for the blessings and supports given by the God, the tragedy and the irony once again backfired.
The tragedy was that we would not be able to maintain our service system until the end of the War. Since we were lured by the fact that the construction was highly successful, we did not realize the reality which is that we do not have enough money to maintain all the supplies, foods and shelters for Chinese Civilians. In the beginning, our main objective was to save as many civilians as possible thus creating the Safety Zone large as possible, and now it is possible that hundreds of Chinese and even thousands of Chinese are able to live in the Safety Zone. It is absolutely splendid that we are able to provide shelters for most of the civilians, but it can be seen as impracticable for few Westerners to provide proper medical cares, foods and treatments for all the people in the Safety zone. We could not think of any possible methods which can make minority supporting the majority possible without money. Not only there were economic problems but also in order for the Japanese army to recognize its existence, the city including the Safety Zone, must not contain any Chinese military forces. Beyond that we are in the urgent situation for money and the organization or committee to stabilize the Safety Zone, we also need to convince and persuade the Chinese government to move all their troops out of the area, and recognize it as the official safety zone. Even if we started great and potential, now it’s time for us to step on the thorny path of life.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/unko/tamezou/nankin/fiction/picture02-1.jpg
Diary #3: The Gates Come Tumbling Down
December 1, 1937
It had been tough time for the remaining Westerners but we had no choice but to go over each obstacles one by one and we decided that the organizing committee was the most urgent priority. Once again, all the remaining Westerners were called into a group meeting for discussion about the committee which will reinstate the Nanking Safety Zone. Without doubt, everyone agreed on forming a committee and “ The International Committee For the Nanking Safety Zone” was finally formed. Even if there is a group which will lead the Nanking Safety Zone, there should be a leader who is going to lead the committee.
When, I asked “ Is there any volunteer who is willing to be the leader?”, there was an absolute silence among people. Then, Sir. John Magee was the one who broke the silence by standing up. I was glad such a responsible man is willing to take a burden of being a leader but surprisingly, he said “ I would like to recommend Sir. John Rabe as a leader!”. After hearing what he said, I was speechless because I would not be able to sustain responsibility, leadership, intelligence, and absolute burden as the leader. When I was try to say no, it was pointless because people started to raise their hands and said how they agree. Then, Sir. John Magee said “ I guess you are the leader by following the opinions of majorities.”. I was shocked and almost even fell into trance like state. It takes more than leadership to be a good leader; however, just like I decided to stay in the War Zone, I gladly accepted and promised my committee members how I will try my best to bring will and hope to Chinese civilians.
Now that the committee is organized, it was time for put our plans into actions. We were going through the War zone to look for injured people, young children, women, and old people ( They were our urgent priority and we are not economically ready to give treatments to all the civilians.) While we were giving treatments, food, and relaxations which people can never have during the war, the letter came from the mayor of Nanking which stated that the City of Nanking affirmed the existence of the Safety Zone, and officially going to send cash, food, and staffed security personnel in the zone! Not only that we were able to persuade the Chinese government to move all their troops out of the area! Once again, God is smiling upon us, and also this is a sign from the God to actively help civilians more and get one step closer to finding wills and hopes which were lost.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Committee_for_the_Nanking_Safety_Zone
Diary #4: Through the Gates into Hell
In late January 1938
The Nanking Safety Zone was running smoothly and day by day and, I was able to save more and more Chinese civilians. Not only more people were getting rescued but people in the Nanking Safety Zone was getting back their smiles. For example, when Yao ming-little Chinese girl who lost her parents and was brutally beat up by Japanese Soldiers- was sent to the Safety Zone. She could not trust anyone or even dare to make any eye contacts. However, as time passes, and Westerners had treated with sincere concern and love, she was able to get a smile back. It was just inevitable for me to hold on to my tears, thinking the fact that these beautiful children smiles are just taken away by the War; I sincerely thanked the God for returning a smile to pure innocent child and promised myself to work harder to bring back more delight grins.
Then I saw Wilhelmina Vautrin sprinting towards my way with tear all over her face. When I asked her what happened, she was speechless for few seconds and said Japanese soldiers came into the Safety Zone and was just brutally killing every people even if they are children or woman. I could not believe what she told me, and thought how in the world is it possible for Japanese Soldiers to just commit atrocities in the Safety Zone because Japan had recognized the Safety Zone and promised not to attack! Without asking her any more questions, I ran to the place where Japanese Soldiers came in.
The sight that was in front of me could not be believed by my eyes, hundreds body of men and women were just piled up on the ground. Not only I could not believe annihilation was once again caused by Japanese but also I was dumbfounded by the fact that Japanese soldiers were laughing and making jokes about how Chinese people were begging for their lives to be spared before they were killed. I just couldn’t control my emotion, and my anger and fury blasted for the Japanese Soldiers. I shouted ,“Are you calling yourself a human? What kind of human being will kill others and be entertained by killing? You piece of trash!!!!”, then I grabbed the sharp stone on the ground and charged to one of the Japanese soldiers. When I was about to smash his head, one of the soldiers shot me in the leg and I automatically lost balance and fall on the ground. Lying on the ground, I was crying bitterly and was furious about my effeteness and inability to fight back or do a revenge for lose of innocence lives; then, I, tears falling down on my chicks, asked why did you kill people in the Safety Zone? The Soldiers replied that they saw few guerrilla soldiers in the Safety Zone and they were viewed as threats and said it was my fault to allow anyone wearing uniform to enter. Thus they said the Japanese Government now views the Safety Zone as the threat, and going to force all refugees to return home. Then Japanese Soldiers left while I was still lying aside the pile of bodies. I felt like a dead man who lost the purpose of living; I felt so ashamed that I, the leader of the committee, could not even protect his own people. Even though my body could still move, my heart was stabbed and can not move anymore. Please can any one tell me what to do? Please just anyone... Please just... Please anyone....Please....
Diary #5: A Survivor
December 24, 1957
Even if the War came to the end, the number of innocent civilians who were killed and the vivid images of annihilations stay on forever. Whenever I see scars on my leg (from Diary #4), the experience of going through watching massive unjustified killings and pile of bodies. The war was quarrelsome itself; there were no absolutely safe places to live. Even though, the Safety Zone was recognized as the non target of Japanese Government, still numerous number of casualties followed: while the Japanese Government was dropping bombs on the Nanking, sometimes mis coordinations lead to dropping of bombs on the Safety Zone. Even with Japanese mistakes, their government did not express any sorrow or apologetic attitude toward us and had absolutely no concern about the Safety Zone. Thus, I had realized that one day, no matter what, Japanese Government would force us to close down the Safety, saying that our safety zone is a threat to Japan. Then, just like what I said, in Late January 1938, the Japanese army forcefully closed down the Safety Zone. However, Westerners did not stop and decided to keep fighting for brining hopes to Chinese and we decided to create new committee called “Nanking International Rescue Committee”. We ran our new safety zone with brand new committee but unfortunately, it only lasted about 3 months. Despite the fact that it did not last so long, in the end, we were able to save lives of around fifty thousands to twenty five thousands lives through our Safety Zone.
Through using the Nanking Safety Zone, we were able to save many people’s lives but we could not protect China’s dignity and pride from vanishing. The China or so called the central power of Asia went through the imperialism and unjustified actions caused by other Asian Nation. The Chinese civilians will not only remember the fact that their fellow mates were brutally killed but always will be infuriated by Japan’s actions. Thus, in my perspective, Japan now should have constant meetings with Chinese government for better relationships and prevent any potential of this kind of massacre in the future.
http://www.csmonitor.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/images/2008/0111/p15s01-almo.html/lnanking_p1.jpg/5846277-1-eng-US/LNANKING_P1.jpg_full_600.jpg